sally dows-第4章

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due　to　this　lack　of　sympathy　from　her　neighbors？　　Discontent　is
easily　sown；　and　the　negro　is　still　weighted　down　by　superstition；
the　Fifteenth　Amendment　did　not　quite　knock　off　ALL　his　chains。〃

〃Yes；　but　that　is　nothing　to　HER。　　For　if　there　ever　was　a　person
in　this　world　who　reckoned　she　was　just　born　to　manage　everything
and　everybody；　it　is　Sally　Dows！〃

〃Sally　Dows！〃　repeated　Courtland；　with　a　slight　start。

〃Yes；　Sally　Dows；　of　Pineville。〃

〃You　say　she　was　half　Union；　but　did　she　have　any　relations　or
orfriendsin　the　waron　your　side？　　Anywhowere　killed　in
battle？〃

〃They　were　all　killed；　I　reckon；〃　returned　Miss　Reed　darkly。
〃There　was　her　cousin；　Jule　Jeffcourt；　shot　in　the　cemetery　with
her　beau；　who；　they　say；　was　Sally's　too；　there　were　Chet　Brooks
and　Joyce　Masterton；　who　were　both　gone　on　her　and　both　killed　too；
and　there　was　old　Captain　Dows　himself；　who　never　lifted　his　head
again　after　Richmond　was　taken；　and　drank　himself　to　death。　　It
wasn't　considered　healthy　to　be　Miss　Sally's　relations　in　those
times；　or　to　be　even　wantin'　to　be　one。〃

Colonel　Courtland　did　not　reply。　　The　face　of　the　dead　young
officer　coming　towards　him　out　of　the　blue　smoke　rose　as　vividly　as
on　that　memorable　day。　　The　picture　and　letter　he　had　taken　from
the　dead　man's　breast；　which　he　had　retained　ever　since；　the
romantic　and　fruitless　quest　he　had　made　for　the　fair　original　in
after　days；　and　the　strange　and　fateful　interest　in　her　which　had
grown　up　in　his　heart　since　then；　he　now　knew　had　only　been　lulled
to　sleep　in　the　busy　preoccupation　of　the　last　six　months；　for　it
all　came　back　to　him　with　redoubled　force。　　His　present　mission　and
its　practical　object；　his　honest　zeal　in　its　pursuit；　and　the
cautious　skill　and　experience　he　had　brought　to　it；　all　seemed　to
be　suddenly　displaced　by　this　romantic　and　unreal　fantasy。　　Oddly
enough　it　appeared　now　to　be　the　only　reality　in　his　life；　the　rest
was　an　incoherent；　purposeless　dream。

〃IsisMiss　Sally　married？〃　he　asked；　collecting　himself　with　an
effort。

〃Married？　　Yes；　to　that　farm　of　her　aunt's！　　I　reckon　that's　the
only　thing　she　cares　for。〃

Courtland　looked　up；　recovering　his　usual　cheerful　calm。　　〃Well；　I
think　that　after　luncheon　I'll　pay　my　respects　to　her　family。　　From
what　you　have　just　told　me　the　farm　is　certainly　an　experiment
worth　seeing。　　I　suppose　your　father　will　have　no　objection　to　give
me　a　letter　to　Miss　Dows？〃


CHAPTER　II。


Nevertheless；　as　Colonel　Courtland　rode　deliberately　towards　Dows'
Folly；　as　the　new　experiment　was　locally　called；　although　he　had
not　abated　his　romantic　enthusiasm　in　the　least；　he　was　not　sorry
that　he　was　able　to　visit　it　under　a　practical　pretext。　　It　was
rather　late　now　to　seek　out　Miss　Sally　Dows　with　the　avowed　intent
of　bringing　her　a　letter　from　an　admirer　who　had　been　dead　three
years；　and　whose　memory　she　had　probably　buried。　　Neither　was　it
tactful　to　recall　a　sentiment　which　might　have　been　a　weakness　of
which　she　was　ashamed。　　Yet；　clear…headed　and　logical　as　Courtland
was　in　his　ordinary　affairs；　he　was　nevertheless　not　entirely　free
from　that　peculiar　superstition　which　surrounds　every　man's
romance。　　He　believed　there　was　something　more　than　a　mere
coincidence　in　his　unexpectedly　finding　himself　in　such　favorable
conditions　for　making　her　acquaintance。　　For　the　restif　there　was
any　resthe　would　simply　trust　to　fate。　　And　so；　believing　himself
a　cool；　sagacious　reasoner；　but　being　actually；　as　far　as　Miss　Dows
was　concerned；　as　blind；　fatuous；　and　unreasoning　as　any　of　her
previous　admirers；　he　rode　complacently　forward　until　he　reached
the　lane　that　led　to　the　Dows　plantation。

Here　a　better　kept　roadway　and　fence；　whose　careful　repair　would
have　delighted　Drummond；　seemed　to　augur　well　for　the　new
enterprise。　　Presently；　even　the　old…fashioned　local　form　of　the
fence；　a　slanting　zigzag；　gave　way　to　the　more　direct　line　of　post
and　rail　in　the　Northern　fashion。　　Beyond　it　presently　appeared　a
long　low　frontage　of　modern　buildings　which；　to　Courtland's
surprise；　were　entirely　new　in　structure　and　design。　　There　was　no
reminiscence　of　the　usual　Southern　porticoed　gable　or　columned
veranda。　　Yet　it　was　not　Northern　either。　　The　factory…like　outline
of　facade　was　partly　hidden　in　Cherokee　rose　and　jessamine。

A　long　roofed　gallery　connected　the　buildings　and　became　a　veranda
to　one。　　A　broad；　well…rolled　gravel　drive　led　from　the　open　gate
to　the　newest　building；　which　seemed　to　be　the　office；　a　smaller
path　diverged　from　it　to　the　corner　house；　which；　despite　its
severe　simplicity；　had　a　more　residential　appearance。　　Unlike
Reed's　house；　there　were　no　lounging　servants　or　field　hands　to　be
seen；　they　were　evidently　attending　to　their　respective　duties。
Dismounting；　Courtland　tied　his　horse　to　a　post　at　the　office　door
and　took　the　smaller　path　to　the　corner　house。

The　door　was　open　to　the　fragrant　afternoon　breeze　wafted　through
the　rose　and　jessamine。　　So　also　was　a　side　door　opening　from　the
hall　into　a　long　parlor　or　sitting…room　that　ran　the　whole　width　of
the　house。　　Courtland　entered　it。　　It　was　prettily　furnished；　but
everything　had　the　air　of　freshness　and　of　being　uncharacteristically
new。　　It　was　empty；　but　a　faint　hammering　was　audible　on　the　rear
wall　of　the　house；　through　the　two　open　French　windows　at　the　back；
curtained　with　trailing　vines；　which　gave　upon　a　sunlit　courtyard。
Courtland　walked　to　the　window。　　Just　before　it；　on　the　ground；
stood　a　small　light　ladder；　which　he　gently　put　aside　to　gain　a
better　view　of　the　courtyard　as　he　put　on　his　hat；　and　stepped　out
of　the　open　window。

In　this　attitude　he　suddenly　felt　his　hat　tipped　from　his　head；
followed　almost　instantaneously　by　a　falling　slipper；　and　the
distinct　impression　of　a　very　small　foot　on　the　crown　of　his　head。
An　indescribable　sensation　passed　over　him。　　He　hurriedly　stepped
back　into　the　room；　just　as　a　small　striped…stockinged　foot　was　as
hastily　drawn　up　above　the　top　of　the　window　with　the　feminine
exclamation；　〃Good　gracious　me！〃

Lingering　for　an　instant；　only　to　assure　himself　that　the　fair
speaker　had　secured　her　foothold　and　was　in　no　danger　of　falling；
Courtland　snatched　up　his　hat；　which　had　providentially　fallen
inside　the　room；　and　retreated　ingloriously　to　the　other　end　of　the
parlor。　　The　voice　came　again　from　the　window；　and　struck　him　as
being　very　sweet　and　clear：

〃Sophy；　is　that　YOU？〃

Courtland　discreetly　retired　to　the　hall。　　To　his　great　relief　a
voice　from　the　outside　answered；　〃Whar；　Miss　Sally？〃

〃What　did　yo'　move　the　ladder　for？　　Yo'　might　have　killed　me。〃

〃Fo'　God；　Miss　Sally；　I　didn't　move　no　ladder！〃

〃Don't　tell　me；　but　go　down　and　get　my　slipper。　　And　bring　up　some
more　nails。〃

Courtland　waited　silently　in　the　hall。　　In　a　few　moments　he　heard　a
heavy　footstep　outside　the　rear　window。　　This　was　his　opportunity。
Re…entering　the　parlor　somewhat　ostentatiously；　he　confronted　a
tall　negro　girl　who　was　passing　through　the　room　carrying　a　tiny
slipper　in　her　hand。　　〃Excuse　me；〃　he　said　politely；　〃but　I　could
not　find　any　one　to　announce　me。　　Is　Miss　Dows　at　home？〃

The　girl　instantly　whipped　the　slipper　behind　her。　　〃Is　yo'　wanting
Miss　Mirandy　Dows；〃　she　asked　with　great　dignity；　〃oah　Miss　Sally
Dowsher　niece？　　Miss　Mirandy's　bin　gone　to　Atlanta　for　a　week。〃

〃I　have　a　letter　for　Miss　Miranda；　but　I　shall　be　very　glad　if　Miss
Sally　Dows　will　receive　me；　returned　Courtland；　handing　the　letter
and　his　card　to　the　girl。

She　received　it　with　a　still　greater　access　of　dignity　and　marked
deliberation。　　〃It's　clean　gone　outer　my　mind；　sah；　ef　Miss　Sally
is　in　de　resumption　of　visitahs　at　dis　houah。　　In　fac'；　sah；〃　she
continued；　with　intensified　gravity　and　an　exaggeration　of
thoughtfulness　as　the　sounds　of　Miss　Sally's　hammering　came
shamelessly　from　the　wall；　〃I　doahn　know　exac'ly　ef　she's　engaged
playin'　de　harp；　practicin'　de　languages；　or　paintin'　in　oil　and
watah　colors；　o'　givin'　audiences　to　offishals　from　de　Court　House。
It　might　be　de　houah　for　de　one　or　de　odder。　　But　I'll　communicate
wid　her；　sah；　in　de　budwoh　on　de　uppah　flo'。〃　　She　backed
dexterousl